


Dreamless Connection

by Kazel_Menra



Series: Miraculous AU Stories [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Characters might act a little OOC, Random Au's I have done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-06 11:17:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16386827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazel_Menra/pseuds/Kazel_Menra
Summary: (Soulmate Dream AU) Adrien and Marinette share the same dreams because they are soulmates. The only problem is Marinette lives in China and Adrien lives in Paris.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this story follows some of the same lines as the online comic Dreamless which is excellent and you should totally check it out. It wasn't meant to since I hadn't read the comic in probably 8 years and wrote this not even remembering it existed but there you have it. Either way enjoy!

Dreams are something everyone has. Whether awake or asleep dreams are things that people constantly imagine, things they wishing to be true, or are the adventures our minds take us on once we close our eyes. Marinette didn’t dream, in fact she never had, and it was around the age of four that Marinette realized this was odd. Her mom asked her if she’d had a good dream, since she had been smiling in her sleep, so Marinette’s question of ‘what’s a dream’ and her mother’s explanation left her perplexed. You see, every time she closed her eyes at night, instead of an adventure or simply darkness, she lived the life of a little boy almost halfway around the globe in Paris. When she had told her mom what she had seen her mom had laughed it off patting her head gently saying, “You have such a great imagination, my little Marinette. One day we might even move to Paris!” 

It was a shock to realize her mom was incapable of understanding. That what Marinette was experiencing wasn’t normal. Marinette realized her dream hadn’t been what her mom knew as a dream and she came to realize that she was different. The boy wasn’t only in her head as a figment of her incredible imagination. He was real, the boy in her dreams talked back to her, had his own hopes, fears, parents, and name. His name was Adrien.   
The two had known each other’s names from the start. After all every time their eyes closed they could see what the other saw, hear what was being said. They knew each other thoroughly by the time they could speak which was surprisingly late for their ages, at least in Adrien’s case. Marinette had begun talking as soon as she was able, while Adrien was a quieter child, loving to listen instead. They grew up in each other’s minds and it was as they grew that they learned to keep their dreamless state a secret.

They had deemed it necessary, especially after Marinette’s mom had simply laughed it off as her imagination. For Adrien it was a slightly bigger deal when his father had caught him talking to no one in particular. He had become concerned about his mental wellbeing, although his mother had laughed it off, telling him to leave Adrien and his imaginary friend alone. The mention of outside help made Adrien and Marinette understand that no one could ever understand, and if they tried to explain, they would be seen as crazy. It was their secret, of course, and they held each other’s names close, being careful to never even speak to the other if there was a chance of being overheard. Not even Marinette’s parents knew their child’s secret, although they seemed to realize that there was something distinctly odd about their child. They lived in China, or more specifically in Taiwan, and yet their child could speak fluent French by the time she was five. Her father was French and he chalked it up to the fact that they did sometimes speak the language around Marinette, but still it was odd. 

Adrien was far worse off, since he for one had very little excuse as to how he knew Chinese when all they spoke in the household was French. The language barrier was part of the reason why he spoke so little, because sometimes he found himself slipping into a mix of the two languages without meaning to. His father had very little patience for his funny language, so Adrien mostly remained mute in his presence. His mother on the other hand was sympathetic towards his plight and Adrien had a sneaky suspicion that she knew more that she let on. This especially rang true when she enrolled him in a Chinese course complete with a tutor so he could learn a different language properly. Adrien was initially worried by this odd action, but eventually he grew quite bored with the lessons since he was already practically fluent. Writing and reading the language was a different thing entirely, although he shocked the poor tutor quite frequently with how fast he verbally picked the language up. Marinette however, found the lessons fascinating and hilarious. 

Lessons and secrets aside, living two lives made them more mature for their ages while giving them experiences they wouldn’t have if it weren’t for their dreamless state. When they were seven Adrien’s father brought him to his workshop, since his mom had been busy and Marinette had fallen in love with the designing world. The colors, the patterns, and designs, Adrien could practically feel Marinette glowing through their bond even though she was asleep and he was awake. It made him happy as well and he was careful to be on his best behavior so he could return. Seeing how interested he was, Adrien’s father decided to use his son as a model for his new line and thus Adrien’s modeling career was born. Marinette began designing immediately, and while Adrien could appreciate the designs and the processes of making clothes, he enjoyed his mother’s hobby far more. She played piano and had started teaching Adrien the moment he could reach the keys when sitting on the bench. Adrien also found a love for baking since it was what Marinette’s parents did. He wasn’t very good at it, but he loved spending time with his mother in a small, unused kitchen, creating cakes and pastries he shouldn’t know how to make. His mom never asked how he knew to make all the things he did, instead she was impressed and proud of his ability to recall the recipes. It was his mother’s and his secret time together other than playing the piano, and the two of them enjoyed every moment of it. 

The children were happy, living two full lives and coming to know each other as well as siblings until their tenth year. When he was ten, Adrien's world fell apart. His mother became sick and nothing could be done to help her. Adrien was constantly told there was nothing to be done and he was forced to watch as his mother simply became weaker and weaker. One day a small package arrived from China and Adrien brought it with him to the hospital, so he could open it there. His father hadn’t come and the gorilla who had driven him left the room, giving the two of them their privacy. Adrien waited until his mom awakened, before slowly climbing onto her bed, being careful not to disturb the lines that disappeared into her skin. 

“Hello sunshine,” His mother whispered, brushing the hair back from his face. “What do you have, my sweet?”

Adrien smiled, leaning into his mother’s caress as he placed the small package before her. “It’s for you, mama.” 

Knowing his mom was too weak to break the tape apart, Adrien did it for her, revealing a small handmade pillow. It had the symbol for peace stitched on the front as well as bamboo, and the pillow smelled of lavender, pine, and cookies. It was an odd scent, but to Adrien it was the best scent he had ever smelled and for a brief moment he didn’t want to let it go. It was the only real thing he had of Marinette, it was proof that she was real and not a figment of his mind. Clutching the box and taking a deep breath of the scent still within, he missed the look that crossed his mom’s face. His mother held the small gift gently, tracing the bamboo with a smile until finally lifting it to her face. Taking a deep breath she sighed before laying it on her chest, close to her heart. 

“This is from your Marinette, isn’t it?” she whispered and Adrien froze, unable to speak to either agree or deny the question. It was all the answer she needed and looking into her son’s eyes she asked, “Is she here now?” 

Adrien blinked the shock fading a little while slowly nodding. He could still feel Marinette’s surprise, a slightly dull sensation that meant she was still in fact asleep. Gently his mom raised her hands to his cheeks and sitting up pressed a kiss to his forehead. Laying back again, his mom stared into Adrien's eyes and he felt as if she could see right through him to where Marinette was. 

“Thank you, my dear. I am going to let Adrien hold on to it for me. He is going to need it more than me and he will need you more than ever. You two are so very young, I wish I could have met you,” she whispered, blinking as tears filled her lovely eyes. 

Adrien felt tears spring to his eyes at the sight. “Mama?” He whimpered, and she held her arms out to him. Snuggling right up against her, Adrien cried not understanding what was happening but he was old enough to realize his mom was not going to come home. It broke his heart and, as he fell asleep in his mother’s warm embrace, something within his bond to Marinette changed. Maybe it was because they were both feeling such strong emotions, but as his mind entered that dreamless state Adrien found that he was reaching towards Marinette. She reached for him as well and with a sudden sensation similar to falling out of bed they stood before one another. 

“Marinette?” Adrien queried and Marinette gaped at him, “Adrien,” she breathed. 

In the next moment they ran to each other, colliding in the middle to cling to the other, sobs slipping from both of them. They were real, they were together, maybe only in this odd dark place but still they were there. After several minutes of simply holding on the two of them broke apart each trying to speak only to stop and laugh again. They did not know how their minds had connected like they had, and they both realized that where they were wasn’t real anywhere but in their connected minds. It was like an echo of the real world and even sensations weren’t truly all there. When they touched it was a sensation like holding your hand a mere centimeter from your skin. You can tell that something is there, and feel the warmth, but the actual touch was lost. For once though they could speak, truly speak and not have to remember questions or worry about being overheard. Time was irrelevant to them, but all too soon their world shook and it was Marinette who was the first to realize that they were being woken up. The goodbye was far too swift, but they both now knew they could and would see each other again.


	2. Chapter 2

Two months passed as Adrien watched his mom become weaker to the point that she didn’t wake up even when he went to see her. On one rare day he found her awake and he crawled into her embrace sniffling.

She peered into his eyes when he pulled back and, seeming to see what she wanted, whispered, “There is a letter for you and Marinette in my drawer.”

Adrien twitched at Marinette’s name, but his mom seemed to understand that he was different. It was odd and he had so many questions for her. “Can I read it now?”   
She smiled at him, one hand brushing through his hair. “Later, sunshine, and please don’t tell your father about the letter. You will understand once you read it. Just know that I love you and you should never reveal your connection to her.” 

Her words left Adrien feeling perplexed, but he understood a need for secrecy. Slipping off the bed, he collected the letter, a surprisingly thick envelope from the dresser, and slipped it into his waistband so no one could see it. He stayed with her for several hours before the gorilla came to collect him for dinner. 

“I love you, mama, and so does Marinette. She wishes she could have met you too,” Adrien whispered to her sleeping form, before sliding off the bed. His mom had fallen asleep earlier, but as he shifted to release her hand it clenched around his, making him pause. 

His mom’s green eyes lifted open and she smiled down at him. “Goodbye, my little sunshine. When you are older you have my permission to marry her. Never let fear hold you back.” 

Adrien felt himself blush a little. “Mamaaaa…” Adrien complained, feeling the echo of Marinette’s embarrassment as well. 

His mom just smiled down at him, letting her eyes close as she let go of his hand. For a moment, Adrien didn’t want to leave, but the clearing of a throat behind him reminded him that he didn’t have much of a choice. 

His mother died that night and Adrien never got the chance to read the letter. He had placed it in a drawer he rarely used and in the chaos he forgot about it. Life for him changed and it became a lonely place. The funeral was sad, and beautiful, and Marinette pretended to be sick, so she could stay home to sleep that day to attend the funeral with Adrien. From that day on Adrien's father was practically nonexistent and rarely spoke to his son. His care was left to a new aid named Natalie and whoever his tutor was for the week. Adrien’s studies continued, except for the piano, which he simply couldn’t touch without pain. His world became loveless, friendless, and for Adrien there was nothing bright except for Marinette. Sleep became his escape. Whether he was simply with Marinette as she went about her day, or talking to her in their own little world, Adrien spent most of his free time sleeping. His lack of activity other than sleeping was noted and after several weeks Adrien found a new activity added to his roster, fencing. At first he was annoyed, since it would take time away from him being with Marinette, but it was Marinette who convinced him that it would be good for him. Marinette had been worried for her friend and, somewhat instinctively, she had known that his excess sleeping wasn’t good for either of them. Still, Adrien was depressed and angry, although he was very good at hiding it from the adults. Fencing was a good outlet for the anger and frustration.

One day long after Adrien had fallen asleep and Marinette had been in school, he was stunned when Marinette skipped her next class to sneak through a long hall in her school. It was afternoon and really she should have been in class, but instead she slipped into a room that she had never been in before. 

“Adrien, I know that I should have just told you when we were face to face, but I am worried about you. It’s been a year and I think that maybe you should return to playing the piano,” Marinette whispered, walking towards a small piano that sat in the back of the room.

Marinette could feel his shock and she felt a bit bad for doing it like this, but Adrien was stubborn and she also knew that he would have argued vehemently if she had brought it up face to face. Slowly, she sat down at the piano and lifted the lid. Never in her life had Marinette ever touched a piano, but the years of watching Adrien play had a profound effect. Slowly, Marinette closed her eyes, her fingers instinctively finding the right keys, and for the first time she played for Adrien. It was a lullaby that she played from memory, one his mother had written just for him, and although she made a few mistakes the heart breaking melody pierced through the shroud that Adrien had surrounded himself with. As Marinette finished she could feel Adrien waking, and she could feel his gratitude seeping into her through the bond they shared. Marinette felt tears prick her eyes as she opened them, only to gulp a little uncertainly when she saw the stunned teacher standing in the doorway. She got in trouble for skipping class and Marinette refused to explain both what she was doing and how she suddenly knew how to play piano. Her parents worried about her, unsettled by her recent withdrawn behavior, and Marinette did her best to act completely normal to alleviate their fears. She was never one to make friends since she always had Adrien and the few people she had interacted with before Adrien's mom died she had withdrawn sharply from. Knowing she too had to change Marinette threw herself into design and she tried to return to the bubbly happy person she once had been. To her absolute joy Adrien did in fact start playing the piano once more. He even made sure his piano tutor came later in the afternoons so she could be there in his mind as he played. Slowly, things began to return to normal and Marinette’s parents breathed a sigh of relief, although they had big plans for the future.

One day, two years after his mother’s death, Adrien was going though one of his dressers when he found the envelope his mom had given him. It surprised him that he could have forgotten about it, but as his fingers traced the elegant script he felt the tears threaten. For a brief moment he almost put the letter back, but curiosity and the need to know forced him to open it. Marinette was awake at the time and for once he found he didn’t mind being completely alone. Slowly, he opened the letter, pulling out the sheaf of papers within. 

‘My dearest Adrien,  
If you are reading this then I am certain that I have passed on. I am so sorry, my dear sunshine child, I thought I had more time. More time to explain, more time to share with you how the connection between you and Marinette came to be. Marinette is your soulmate and as you get older the bond between you will only strengthen. Hold her close and when you are old enough go to her if fate doesn’t bring you together a different way. I’m sure you are probably surprised and wonder how I know so much. The truth is I too had a dreamless connection with someone long ago. 

I was born and raised in America as you know but I grew up knowing both French and English. It was obvious neither of my parents had the strange connection that I did for my parents were afraid of me. As soon as I was able I left home, never to return, and I doubt they ever cared that I was missing. I was able to get a job due to fluency with two languages and my soulmate did everything in his power to help me, including sending me money when able. Less than a year after leaving home I was able to fly to France and I found him. My soulmate. We were in love. How could we not when every waking moment all our lives had been spent in each other’s company? That same year I met your father. He was a friend of my soulmate’s and I knew from the moment we met that he had an interest in me, but I already had all I ever wanted. We all spent our days together and we wanted to get married, but a sad twist of fate struck. He and your father were out on the town when an accident happened. My love was killed saving your father, and I lost everything. I was devastated and the only thing that kept me from trying to follow my love was your father. He took care of me and in time I grew to love him, although I never could love him as I had my soulmate. When I had you I realized immediately that you had the same gift. Your father is a suspicious man, one that doesn’t like secrets or imperfections. I don’t know how he would receive a gift like ours, so it should remain a secret. I believe he suspects something is different about us, but he has not pried and I don’t think he ever will. 

I wish I could have met your Marinette. I could see her in your eyes when she was present and I just know that her love for you will be enough to guide you. I hope your father will step up when I am gone, but I fear that losing me will make him act the same as when I lost my soulmate. Please do not blame him. He is a good man and he will do everything he can to shelter you and keep you safe. He just doesn’t know how to show his love like I do. My sweet, dear child. I am sorry I will never see you grow and become the great man I know you will be. I am sorry I will never meet your Marinette and see the children I know you will someday have. Be brave and never stop being the gentle, wonderful, sunshine child you are. I love you and even when I am gone know that I will always be within your heart.  
Forever with love,  
Mama.

Adrien gaped at the tear streaked letter before him, sniffing as he folded it up and hid it away. He would open and read it several more times before he finally fell asleep to meet Marinette later that night. She was just as surprised and she even wondered if the connection they had was genetic or if it just randomly happened. There were no answers, and since they couldn’t ask his mom or trace her soulmate’s family since they had no name they realized they would just have to wonder and carry on as best they could. 

The years slowly passed and as they got older they exchanged emails, photos, gifts, as well as even being able to have video chats via computer when they both got one. These things were hard to hide unlike the bond they shared and Marinette at least had to come out and tell her parents about Adrien, at least a little. Marinette’s parents were happy to see that Marinette had a friend in a different country even though they had no idea how the two got into contact with each other. They lied when asked, using Marinette’s school pen pal system as a starting point. Adrien's father on the other hand didn’t seem to care. He remained a ghost while Adrien continued to work hard to maintain his image of perfection. It was hard, but Marinette was the light in his life and she was always trying new things when he couldn’t. She was always affectionate, accepting hugs and touch in general, as if she was making up for the lack of compassion and love in his life. When they met in the darkness it was always a relief for Adrien, and he yearned for the day when he could touch her in the waking world. 

When they were fourteen and a half Adrien decided he’d had enough. He was tired of the box his father had put him in and Adrien decided he needed to escape. He wanted to get a plane ticket and fly to Marinette, but they both knew that it was impossible. So without even consulting Marinette, Adrien snuck out of his house, thinking of ways he could travel to be at Marinette’s side. He made it three blocks when he ran into an elderly man, almost knocking him over. 

“Sorry Sir,” Adrien mumbled, picking up the cane that had hit the ground. 

The elderly Chinese man eyed Adrien his gaze almost piercing in its intensity. “My dear boy, what seems to be the problem?” he asked. 

Adrien shook his head, trying to hand the cane to him. “N-nothing, Sir, I didn’t mean to run into you.” 

The elderly man sighed, patting Adrien's shoulder as he took the cane. “Running will not solve anything, patience is what you need for whatever is troubling you.”

Adrien stumbled back, blinking rapidly, and within his mind he could feel Marinette’s surprise as she fell asleep only to find he was awake. Her surprise was tangible and he looked up into the elderly man’s eyes, wondering what she would make of him. As their eyes met the elderly man’s eyes widened. 

“Ah, you are indeed a special child,” the man said, tapping his cane on the ground. “Return to your home, Adrien. You will soon find things will change for the better.” 

Adrien backed away, a little freaked that this odd man knew his name and seemed to see Marinette as his mother once had. He fled to his room and only realized later that his presence, or lack thereof, hadn’t even been missed. He started slipping out more, even though Marinette didn’t approve, and he found a love for sitting on the rooftops where no one would notice his presence. Marinette teased him, saying he was becoming like a cat. He never got caught sneaking out, and although he looked high and low, Adrien was never able to find the odd old man again.


	3. Chapter 3

A major change did happen soon after their 15th birthday, when Marinette’s parents broke exciting news to their daughter. They were moving to Paris. The surprise was so profound that Marinette actually fainted and for the briefest of moments she was united with Adrien, who could only stare at her stunned. She was snapped awake again before they could do anything more than grin at each other, but it was enough. Joy suffused her as she awoke and she screamed, throwing her arms around her very worried parents. Her ecstatically odd reaction aside, Marinette’s parents were happy to know she didn’t mind moving. They had already found a school for her to attend and it was decided that her father would go over first to start setting up the bakery shop. Marinette and her mom would follow a week before classes started in France, to give them time to pack and send all their belongings over. It took all of Adrien's willpower to not hunt her father down and try to help out. He couldn’t, since there was no reason, and Adrien found to his chagrin that he was being watched far closer than he was before. Natalie had come to check on him one afternoon and found him gone, which made her realize that he was sneaking out in the afternoons. Thankfully, she hadn’t reported it to his father but it meant that any and all unsupervised excursions were not doable. Especially when he knew that if he were on his best behavior now, they wouldn’t watch him as closely later. Adrien was filled with joy though, knowing that Marinette would soon be in Paris with him, and he decided to go to his father for the first time in years. Adrien asked to go to school, more specifically the school Marinette was going to, which was actually a very high class establishment. His father blatantly refused and for the first time in anyone’s memory, Adrien and his father fought. In the end his father still refused, and Adrien was grounded as well a put on watch 24-7 due to the fact he had threatened to run away. 

It was unfortunate that Marinette arrived soon after and the two of them were nearly jumping out of their skins for how impatient they were to be at the other’s side. Adrien bemoaned the fact that he had fought with his father so severely, because now he couldn’t even sneak away on one of his shoots to even catch a glimpse of Marinette. Even still, Adrien was determined to go to school with Marinette and she was just as determined to see him. However, neither could escape their parents long enough to go to the other. Marinette’s parents opened their bakery the day Marinette’s mom arrived, and it was an instant success. This kept everyone so busy Marinette fell exhausted into bed every night when she was released from helping. Her parents assured her that once school started they wouldn’t ask for much of her time, but having just opened, they were adjusting and needed all the extra help they could get. Adrien, on the other hand, tried to sneak off several times only to realize at the last minute that someone was watching him and would have to act like he wasn’t going anywhere at all. Even though Adrien was still on house arrest, he was kept busy as well, and when the two of them met in their dreams frustration was a tangible thing between them. By the end on the week, Adrien had already decided to sneak out to attend school with Marinette, and Marinette had already decided to go to him if he was unable to get away. 

Three days, eight hours, and forty minutes later, Marinette left her home, a box of cookies in hand from the new bakery. She was eager to get to school and halfway there nearly got run over by some cars, when she rushed out into the street to save a kindly old man from getting hit. Only about half the cookies made it, since she had dropped them, but she and the old man were fine if a little shaken. The old man had thanked her profusely, asking where she had gotten her cookies, when she offered him a remaining cookie from the slightly crushed box. Marinette had proudly pointed out the bakery only to panic when she heard the school bells chiming, not realizing it wasn’t the late bell yet. After a hasty goodbye, Marinette fled to the school, only to crash headlong into a blond girl about the same age as her just inside the door. Almost all the remaining cookies were toast and the blond girl shrieked at the crumbs that now decorated her overly bright yellow shirt. 

“Do you know who I am?” The blond screamed at Marinette, who remained on the ground cowering. 

“No?” Marinette answered, never having seen the girl before. 

“I’m the Mayor’s daughter, you peasant piece of trash!” the blond shrieked and Marinette cringed. 

“Hey, Chloe, leave her alone!” Another female voice called, and Marinette turned to see a young dark skinned girl stomping her way over. 

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Needing another charity case to look after, Ayla?” 

“Go take a hike, Chloe! We don’t need any of your bile around here,” Ayla snapped back, holding a hand out to Marinette. 

Chloe sniffed, and after eyeing the two of them as if they were beneath her, she stomped off, making Marinette sigh in relief. Alya’s hand hung before her and a bit shyly Marinette took it. 

“You ok?” Ayla asked, helping Marinette stand up. 

Marinette managed a nod, as she bent over to pick up the crushed cookie box. 

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” Ayla asked, and Marinette nodded again, unsure of what to say. 

Ayla chuckled. “You’re quite shy too. Alright then, introductions! My name is Ayla and I have decided to be your friend! You look the same age as me so we are probably in the same class. What do you say?” 

Ayla extended her hand again, beaming a smile in Marinette’s direction. Marinette had never really had a friend before, since the kids her own age in China had all been more like acquaintances. In truth she had never needed one because she had Adrien. All at once, Marinette decided that a change was in order. She was in Paris, and soon she would be able to finally have Adrien at her side, but staring at Ayla’s open, friendly face, Marinette realized she had to make other friends too. If only for appearance’s sake. After a moment of hesitation, Marinette moved forward, closing her hand around Ayla’s outstretched hand then slowly smiled. “Ok, I’m Marinette.” 

Ayla pumped her hand enthusiastically, nearly knocking the much abused box of cookies from her grip. “Great! Let’s celebrate! What do you have in the box?” 

Marinette smiled, lifting the lid to reveal one whole cookie amongst crushed crumbs. Ayla reached in, broke it in half and handed the larger side to her as she popped the other side in her mouth. Marinette took it with a giggle and Ayla led her off to the classroom they would be sharing. 

Adrien didn’t make it to class and Marinette was hopping with impatience when the bell rang for lunch. They had a whole hour and a half to eat and do what they wished, so Marinette was eager to go home so she could find out where Adrien was. She had yet to get a cell phone otherwise she would just text him, but Ayla was making it extremely hard to break away. She was insisting on introducing Marinette to everyone in her class and show her around. Marinette didn’t know how to break away without being rude, but she was about to put her foot down when the oddest thing happened. A stone monster started to rampage through the school. It was like something out of a movie, and Marinette realized it wasn’t a common thing when everyone began to panic.

Ayla had been ecstatic, running out after the creature, while Marinette ran as fast as she could to her home. Making it into her room without even telling her parents she was back, Marinette turned on her computer, hoping that Adrien was online. He wasn’t and as she was about to turn away Marinette was instantly distracted as she glanced down to see a very odd box. It was a black octagon with red Chinese symbols scrawled along the sides. Oddly enough, she could only just make out the one for power and she wondered if her mom had put the box in her room. Reaching out to touch the box, Marinette opened it to see what was inside. Light burst forth, making Marinette yelp and fall off her chair. Rubbing at her eyes, Marinette blinked several times to eventually see an odd floating red thing… Marinette blinked again and the thing still remained but then smiled down at her. The silence between them was unnerving, especially since Marinette could practically feel some odd power radiating off the creature.

“Hello,” It squeaked finally and Marinette took a deep breath, before letting out a shriek that caused the floating thing to drop out of the air in surprise. 

“Mama!” Marinette cried, twisting around to try to get to her door, determined to get away, but the creature darted in front of her, blocking her path. 

“Hey, no, it’s ok!” Tiki squeaked, as Marinette flailed backwards across her floor to get away. “I’m Tiki and you have been chosen as my wielder!”

At it’s words, Marinette paused, her back pressed against her chaise, one arm in a half empty box ready to chuck whatever random thing that was in her hand at the creature. 

“Y-you t-talk,” Marinette managed.

Tiki nodded. “Of course I talk! I am a kwami and you are to be the Miraculous Ladybug!” 

“Uh… never heard of them?” Marinette said, unable to understand how she ended up in this situation. 

Tiki shrugged, floating closer, making Marinette twitch. “Most humans don’t know about us, but we are regarded as heroes by this culture.”

“I-I’m not a hero,” Marinette squeaked, panic filling her as the odd kwami came even closer.

“You’re not a hero yet, but you have great potential to become one! The point is, Paris needs you, and… oh my,” Tiki paused, suddenly, eyeing Marinette with an odd expression, and somewhere in her panic she felt the slightest tinges of surprise ebbing through her consciousness. Instantly, Marinette knew what it was. 

“Adrien…” She whispered, clenching a hand over her heart. She could practically feel his excitement vibrating through her, and she swore she heard his voice say, “Go for it!” 

The feeling vanished and a sense of peace stole through her as Marinette sighed. Of course Adrien would be excited by an odd red floating creature and snap himself awake before she could even think of reaching back out to him. Slowly, Marinette took a breath, letting that odd sense of peace she had felt calm her currently stuttering heart. Go for it… Marinette swore she heard him say that, although they had never been able to transmit thoughts before. Go for what though? This hero thing the kwami was offering? Looking up into the kwami’s bright, joyous eyes, Marinette asked, “I-if I become a hero… what do I have to do?”

Tiki hovered before her, the tiny kwami’s eyes lighting up. “You were born for this, Marinette! Don’t worry, you will have a partner to help you and I can guide you once you transform. For now, let’s go stop that akuma. Just say, “Spots On.” 

Moments later Marinette, now dressed in magical spandex and calling herself Ladybug, stood on her rooftop debating whether she could handle this whole Ladybug thing after all. 

“Are you sure this is a good idea? We are really high up,” Marinette moaned. Heights had never bothered her before, but standing on her balcony, about to trust her life to a literal yoyo string was making her feel a touch overwhelmed. 

“Yes, you have to start somewhere, and a fall from this height won’t kill you, anyways, with me protecting you,” Tiki answered.

Marinette gulped, not the least bit mollified. Jumping off the roof or more accurately swinging off with a magical yoyo had not been in her list of things to do today. Besides, just because an odd magical sprite thing told her it would be ok, did not mean that it would be.

“Are you sure you can’t find someone else? Ayla would make a good hero, she loves them,” Marinette whimpered as a stiff breeze swept past her. 

“You were chosen for this, Marinette. Just try, and if you really feel you can’t do it, then I will take the earrings and disappear,” Tiki said, although the tone of the kwami’s voice told Marinette that Tiki thought she was overreacting a little. 

Not wanting to back down and disappoint the odd creature, she threw the yoyo so it latched onto a roof several hundred feet away. If she had needed confirmation that there was magic involved, this was it. Especially since Marinette knew instinctively that she couldn’t throw that far on a good day. Timidly, she tugged on the string to test its stability, only to let out a wild yelp when it yanked her off her feet and into the air. She was flying very fast towards the building, and yanking the yoyo back into her grip, she tossed it out again at the peak of her flight. It was an almost instinctive motion and as the yoyo went taught pulling her in a new direction Marinette couldn’t help the sheer jubilation rushing through her. She picked up speed, flinging herself higher, when a roar smashed her concentration to pieces. Marinette flailed midair the yoyo snapping around a chimney and she flew towards it with a yelp. Somehow she managed not to face plant into the wall, torquing her body so she flew past it, only to see a new problem squarely planted in the path. 

“Look out!” Marinette screamed, as she fell onto a boy walking down a pole situated right in the middle of her flight path. Bright green eyes snapped to hers a second before she slammed into him, knocking him clean off his perch. Her yoyo tangled their legs, as his arms wrapped around her, and suddenly they jerked to a halt, bouncing slightly at the end of the string. They swung for a brief second like a pendulum only a foot or so from the ground, before the yoyo unraveled itself, letting them crash to the ground with Marinette on top.

“Ow…” The boy hissed, out of breath, and Ladybug drew back sharply, the boy’s arms loosening as she pulled away. 

“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know what I was doing and…” Marinette froze as the boy’s eyes opened, staring into hers. 

Green filled her vision as the world blinked out around them and Marinette felt something almost snap into place within her. For a moment she could see herself looking down, a red spotted mask across her face, and a stunned look in place. Everything reverted back to normal in an instant and she gasped. 

“It’s YOU!” both teens screamed and the boy surged to his feet, carrying her with him in his arms. 

“It’s you, it’s you, it’s you!” they both chanted, as Adrien spun them around clinging to her. 

Jubilation filled them both and they broke apart, the ecstatic grins on their face making no words necessary. They came back together in a hug, bouncing in place, each feeling the once painful irritation of being so far from the other fade to nothing. Adrien, surprisingly, pulled back first, lifting his hands to touch her face, the bond between them pulsing with sheer joy.

“You’re really here,” Adrien said, cupping Marinette’s face as tears leaked from his eyes. “Plagg told me I could find you. He wasn’t happy when I fell asleep on him to check up on you, but I just knew I had to see you and then I saw your kwami. I knew I had to find you.” 

Marinette smiled at him, wiping the tears off his cheeks. “I felt you, but I couldn’t figure out why you were so excited. Tiki told me to just come out and try it once and she told me I would have a partner but… it’s you…” Marinette breathed and hugged him again, pulling him close.  
Adrien hugged her just as tight and the two only broke apart when they heard another roar shatter the air around them. 

“We should probably go fix that,” Tiki murmured in her mind and Marinette snickered, making Adrien cock his head at her curiously. 

“My kwami, Tiki, is saying we need to go take care of this thing. Whatever it is,” Marinette said. 

“Yeah, we should! I’m itching to try out my new powers! Um… what should I call you in uniform, princess?” Adrien asked curiously. 

Marinette rolled her eyes, never having gotten used to his penchant for random nicknames, although princess was a long standing favorite. “Ladybug, I suppose. That’s what Tiki says, anyways.” 

“I’m called Chat Noir,” Chat answered, not missing the giggle that slipped from his partner.

“That’s not very original,” Ladybug snickered, as they both leaped to the rooftops in search of the roaring rock creature. 

Chat shrugged. “Plagg says it’s his job to destroy, not be creative, and to deal with it.” 

In the end it took all day to deal with the rock creature, especially when they were swarmed with the press once Ladybug released Miraculous Cleanse. They had escaped the press after a minute since their miraculous were swiftly timing out. In truth they had wanted to stay together, but they both knew they couldn’t, since Marinette was sure her parents were looking for her. Ladybug dropped into an alley, detransforming, and caught the kwami in her hands. 

“You two did really well,” Tiki said, looking up at her chosen’s glowing features. 

“Oh, Tiki, it’s him! It’s Adrien!” Marinette said with a laugh, spinning around in sheer joy. 

Tiki eyed her charge oddly, but before she could say a word they both heard a voice calling “Marinette?”

Marinette ran out of the alley, turned the corner, and almost smashed into her mom. Her mom hugged her tight, demanding to know where she had been the whole day and Marinette had to lie, which she didn’t appreciate. They went back to the bakery and after eating dinner with her parents, Marinette went up to her room, cookies in hand, since Tiki had told her that’s what she liked. Setting the cookies down before her kwami, Marinette changed into her pajamas, then dropped into her chair with an exhausted sigh. 

“I don’t like lying to my parents, Tiki. Is there any way I can tell them?” Marinette asked. 

Tiki hummed as she nibbled on her cookie. “It’s better for them to not know, especially since they could one day get possessed by an Akuma. How do you know Chat Noir, though? You already knew each other and recognized one another instantly, despite the magic that is supposed to prevent that from happening.”

Marinette cringed. “Um…” she said, unsure of how she wanted to go about explaining. Tiki waited patiently, understanding that this was a major secret of her charge’s and that she might have a hard time talking about it.   
“We are dreamless,” Marinette finally began, her voice hardly above a whisper. “All my life I have been able to see his world when I sleep, and back a few years ago we connected somehow so now, when we are both sleeping, we can see each other. It’s hard to explain, but we have been together our whole lives, and I love him. He’s my soulmate in every sense of the word.”

Tiki gazed at her charge, a beaming smile on her face. “I knew you were special from the moment I saw you, Marinette. You will be the best Ladybug I’ve ever had! Especially with the way you and Chat Noir already know each other.”

Marinette grinned down at her kwami. “Thank you, Tiki, I hope I can live up to your expectations. Adrien and I will do our best to fix this Hawkmoth mess.”  
Tiki patted Marinette’s hand, giggling when a yawn slipped from her. “Go to sleep, Marinette, you still have school tomorrow.”

Marinette did as her kwami said, and was a little surprised as Adrien seemed to join her less than a minute later. They hugged instantly, their forms far more solid than usual, the sensations more clear, and they chalked it up to the fact that they had finally met in person. Well, kind of, if you counted fighting a giant rock creature.   
“It must be the kwamis’ magic,” Adrien surmised, and they enthusiastically spoke of what happened earlier in the day. Finally, as their time together started to come to a close, Adrien asked, “You are going to stay Ladybug, right, Marinette?”

His voice was nervous, their world getting lighter as their minds started to wake up.   
Marinette nodded, for she would do anything for Adrien, and she couldn’t imagine not being able to be at his side to help protect the one’s she loved. She knew Adrien would never want to give up being Chat, especially not after seeing the freedom it would give him, and she couldn’t bear the thought of someone else standing beside him. 

“I will, Adrien. I will always stand beside you,” Marinette answered, her voice soft. 

Adrien gripped her hands, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “I’ll see you soon,” he whispered, his warm smile staying with her, even as she awoke to her alarm clock. Sitting up in bed, Marinette blinked as she looked around her room. She felt different today, better than she had in a long while and she then realized what it was Adrien had said to her. 

“See you soon?” Marinette whispered curiously, then leapt from her bed, wondering what Adrien was planning. 

She was late getting out the door, and almost forgot Tiki in her rush to get to school. Marinette didn’t know why, but she felt that today was going to be different and she wondered if Adrien had snuck out of his house. The answer to her unasked question was standing at the entrance of the school, surrounded by a clump of fans. Marinette froze on the bottom step, and Adrien spun around sensing her close proximity. Their eyes met and the biggest grin spread across Adrien's face. Shaking a girl Marinette recognized as Chloe off his arm, Adrien moved forward, parting the clump of fans like a breeze through a fog.   
Marinette’s legs moved on their own, her feet hitting the top step as Adrien arrived at the landing. Marinette tripped on the top step, tilting forward with a yelp, and Adrien was there catching her in his arms and pull her close. 

“I knew you would fall for me, Princess,” Adrien whispered in her ear and Marinette laughed, squeezing him tight as she got her feet under her. 

They ignored the squeals and squawk of indignation behind them, happy to simply be in each other’s arms, until a hand rudely jerked on Marinette’s jacket. Releasing each other, the two teens turned to see a livid Chloe.

“Adrikins! Why are you hugging this… this thing?!” she demanded, and Marinette felt her face heat up, fury in her blood.

Adrien's hand slipped into hers and squeezed it tight, preventing her from saying what was on her mind.   
“This is Marinette and she is mine,” Adrien said, making the fan girls and Chloe gasp at his declaration. 

Marinette felt her heart leap at his declaration, and as Adrien turned back to her she smiled at him, able to feel his joy as their hearts beat as one. He moved towards her as the sky opened up, and as the rain poured down on them, soaking them through, they kissed. An explosion of warmth surged through them at the touch, the rest of the world simply ceasing to exist. They didn’t hear Chloe’s shriek of indignant fury, or notice everyone fleeing to the building to get out of the rain. They only noticed each other and the words their crossed into their minds. 

“I love you!” Their minds whispered as one, until another tug distracted them, making them pull apart, panting slightly. Ayla stood before them under an umbrella, a wry grin on her face and a phone in hand, clearly on video. 

“Alright, love birds. You two have made everyone very jealous and I need the absolute full story on how this came to be,” Ayla said, then switching her phone off handed them a large black umbrella. “But first, you two need some dry clothes, so let’s get moving so we won’t be late to class, huh?”

Adrien took the umbrella, wrapping his arm around Marinette as she cuddled into his side, and the two of them started to follow Ayla into school. Looking up, Marinette met Adrien's gaze and she smiled. 

“Finally together,” her mind whispered and he squeezed her slightly.

“Now and forever,” his mind whispered back. 

They were together, they were heroes, and they both knew that nothing would ever be the same.


End file.
